


Optimal

by MaryIsNotImaginary



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), Detroit: Become Human (Video Game) RPF
Genre: Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900 Friendship, Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Siblings, Connor Deserves Happiness, Detroit Police Department (Detroit: Become Human), Deviant Upgraded Connor | RK900, Drunk Gavin Reed, Gavin Reed Needs a Hug, I love my angsty boys, I think this gonna be slowish burn, Jealous Upgraded Connor | RK900, M/M, Post-Battle for Detroit (Detroit: Become Human), Post-Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), Protective Upgraded Connor | RK900, RK900 is called Nines, Sub Gavin Reed, Touch-Starved Gavin Reed, Upgraded Connor RK900/Gavin Reed-centric, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Is Bad at Feelings, connor doesn't understand anything, gavin reed is such a little bitch but i love him, markus and simon are cute, neither does nines, why are they always angry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-11 11:49:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17446412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaryIsNotImaginary/pseuds/MaryIsNotImaginary
Summary: Gavin's just trying to make sense of this android bullshit and Nines ruins it by just being Nines





	1. You Might As Well Be Fucking A Laptop

**Author's Note:**

> I just got madly into Detroit: Become Human and I don't know how I got involved in this stupid ship but all I know is that I love it and I would die for them. 
> 
> In this fic Hank and Connor are like father/son, I don't really think I'm on board with the ship but I've got no hate for it, I just don't really see them romantically.
> 
> Apologies that this chapter isn't very long I was just itching to post it.

Gavin always wanted to be the type of guy that could consider himself a tolerable man. This of course changed over the years, having Elijah Kamski as a brother didn’t always set you up for the best start considering how much of an asshole he was. He wasn’t exactly sure how both of them grew up to be so different, him hating the plastic fucks that his brother well… fucks?

Maybe that was the problem.

It wasn’t just him that thought that was weird, right? You might as well be fucking a laptop. Maybe some people were into laptops? He grunted into his coffee, using the smell to distract from the RK800 model that had not stopped staring at him from across the room.

Connor was a tricky one, he was likeable despite their first encounters and Gavin actually a certain type of respect for him. Anyone that could put up with Anderson for longer than an hour had to be warranted some type of respect. He guessed you could blame it on programming, but then again weren’t they supposed to have fucking free will now?  The revolution had really stumped him.

When it all went down a year ago, Gavin wasn’t really sure which side he was on. Okay sure, he was an absolute dick to Connor when he first showed up at the precinct and he was still a dick to him now, though it had definitely softened, and his anger was now more banter than harsh words and violence. Just because he had a specific dislike for androids didn’t mean he couldn’t see when someone was fighting for their rights. He’d grown up when racism was still an issue for fucks sake, and that was all a horrible ordeal. He still thought Connor was weird, and the whole android situation was weird because his brother had literally created the first trials of Chloe in his basement so it was hard to go from seeing that to seeing them on the streets holding babies and shit.

The point was, Markus was a damn good leader and he made it hard not to see his points especially because he was so peaceful about it. If Gavin was a deviant, he knew he’d have just shot those SWAT team bastards at the march in the beginning.

“Detective Reed, your coffee had gone cold. Surely that cannot be beneficial to your low temperature,” Gavin glared up at the android staring down at him and gripped his coffee cup tighter.

“Fucking can it, you plastic fuck.”

Okay he tolerated Connor, maybe sometimes even liked him but the fucking RK900 model was _a different fucking story._

When he’d turned up on the doorsteps of the DPD Connor had been ecstatic,  but Gavin had taken one look at this douchebag and decided they were not going to get on and it seemed the RK900 had the same feeling. (Feeling? Maybe the prick could predict the future or something, but Gavin wasn’t actually sure if he capable of feeling anything.) Hank had taken on board this son of a bitch like he was Connor’s brother or something and he was pretty sure they couldn’t have brothers, right? Could they? Gavin felt like he was losing his fucking mind.

And of course, of fucking course, that stupid, little cock sucking android was partnered with him.

Fowler sure knew how to take the piss. Acting as if he had no clue that Gavin’s worst thing in the entire world would be an android partner in his space 24/7. He must’ve begged for a full 20 minutes to be partnered with Tina, _his actual fucking friend_ , but no. The asshole decides that instead of making decisions that would benefit everyone, he’d just place his new toaster with a person who doesn’t want any _fucking_ toast.

Gavin knew that was a stretch of a metaphor, but he didn’t fucking care. He’d been livid since that day and now the dickhead was telling him how to drink his coffee. **_Oh no_** , he thought sarcastically, **_I’m not at my optimal temperature_**. He actually thought about throwing his cold beverage right at the motherfucker’s shiny, plastic face. But the fine probably wasn’t worth it, besides, it wouldn’t actually benefit him in any way. Apart from seeing that little shit’s face after smacking him in the head, but then again he’d been trying to ask himself recently if he was a human then would he do it. He almost laughed to himself when he realised, he would actually probably  do it to a human too. He guessed his idea of android equality wasn’t quite what Markus had wanted it to be.

“If you’re gonna complain about my fucking coffee, then get me another one.” He suddenly snapped and shoved his cup into the RK900’s hands who stared at him for a second with the cup and then promptly dropped it into the bin and raised an eyebrow at the detective. Smartass.

“I’m not a coffee machine, Detective Reed.”

Gavin glared at the machine and slowly stood up in front of it, which was actually a little difficult considering the height differences and his attempts to intimidate the RK900 were futile but it didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try. “Tell me what the fuck else you’re good for.” The threat was there, definitely was there, but the inuendo didn’t get lost in Reed’s head and he internally cringed. What didn’t help was at that exact moment Connor walking past and taking no note of the hostility between the two and butting in.

“Both me and RK900 have many services that don’t include coffee, Detective, if you’d like us to demonstrate-“

“Connor, shut the fuck up. Hank, get your partner to stop offering me his fucking services, I’m not interested in fucking androids.”

He heard the old bastard cackle from his desk.

 

* * *

 

 

Gavin spent the rest of the day trying to avoid both androids, because honestly, why were they supposedly so intelligent but could not get a single joke or inuendo? They reminded him of Elijah before he became this unreachable, android God man, and the thought made Gavin snicker. He used to be such a fucking nerd.

His super spy sneaking about to avoid his partner was not unnoticed by Fowler, who immediately called Gavin into his office for a lecture on respect and shit and how these dipshit androids were just like us yada yada. It was so tedious, and so was the paperwork that he’d been banished to do sat right across from the damn android that had caused literally every single problem in Gavin’s life. (Okay maybe that wasn’t true, but right now Gavin wanted all the blame on the damn giraffe necked deviant.)

He tried to get through the paperwork but the presence of the RK900 was overbearing and he couldn’t stop himself from glancing up from his papers every couple of minutes.

“Do you even have a name?” Gavin squinted at the deviant, while the android stared back in confusion. He opened his mouth to speak but Gavin cut him off with an eyeroll, “Don’t say RK900, that’s not a name, that's your model number or some shit.”

“No, Detective, I don’t have a name.” Said Detective frowned, seemingly unimpressed by this information and continued to squint at him. The android started to shift slightly and flicker eye contact to the side, differing from his normally stoic presence. Gavin took in the uncomfortableness of the android and smirked slightly watching him squirm. “Well do you want a name, tin can?”

The android frowned at that particular nickname, “I don’t see how me having a name gives any aid to our investigation, Detective Reed.”

“It doesn’t, but I can’t just go about calling you RK900 every time I need you otherwise I’m gonna drive myself and everyone in the precinct insane,” RK900 took in the information and nodded, LED spinning which Gavin was distracted by for a few seconds. It was admittedly cool, but the fact the stupid prick was confused at the concept of having a name was really bringing down how much these machines were supposed to fit in with humans. In fact, it didn’t seem like the RK900 wanted to fit in with humans at all; when he first joined Reed was almost surprised when he found out he’d deviated. According to Connor, he’d been ordered by Amanda to destroy him but the earlier android had simply managed to turn him deviant. Gavin wasn't necessarily sure how the androids were able to do that to each other, but they could so he guessed he just had to deal with that. 

Gavin studied the RK900's face who looked completely unfazed by his scrutiny, but the detective knew better from the yellow LED and the slight crease in his left brow. He was slightly worried about how much he could get from the android with minimal tells, but he just pinned it on being a perceptive due to his line of work. He wasn't sure, but he knew better to dig for a further explanation (or admit he might know the RK900 more than he thought he did). 

Gavin pursed his lips and squinted, then raised his hand. “How about Nines? I know it’s barely a name but it just kinda fits you.”

The RK900 tilted his head to the side, LED flashing yellow and then back to blue, “Nines.”

“Don’t mock me, you prick.”

“I wasn’t mocking you, Detective Reed, simply registering the name with my model.” Gavin’s cheeks glazed over with red at the innocent face Nines was making with his head slightly tilted. Seeing Nines take the name he chose stirred him slightly and he was really trying to push the damn pride away because it’s an android not a fucking puppy even though his expression at the moment was really reminding Gavin of the latter.

What the fuck was going on?

 


	2. Not Quite There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin is an ass and Tina is fucking fab

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is short again, sorry, I suck

“That RK900 model could get it”

Gavin whipped his head round, scowl evident on his face, to see Tina staring at said android with a sleezy smile. Nines was leaning on the counter, talking to Connor, which wasn’t out of the ordinary. What was unordinary, however, was the soft smile gracing the stone cold robot’s face, especially at  this time in the fucking morning. Gavin sighed, “Are you phcking serious?”

“Deadly.”

She turned to look at Gavin with a smile only describable as manic, and in that moment Gavin felt himself regret ever talking to Tina, ever. Sure, she was his best, and possibly only, friend but some days he really felt she came from another planet. He then supposed that would make damn sense considering she stuck around him even when he was such an ass. He growled at that stupid expression and tried to hurry up making his coffee, desperate to get out of the presence of Tina and her dumb lust for that lanky fuck. When the fuck did she even start liking androids? Especially like _that_.

Gavin looked up when he heard a slight disturbance in Nines’ direction in time to see the robot turn and bend down to pick up papers next to him that a fellow officer had dropped. Gavin felt his breath hitch slightly, because okay sue him, he was an ass man. Not that he would ever admit that, or that Nines’ ass was damn up there. Judging by Tina’s face, she agreed. “Honestly Gavin, when do you ever see an ass that damn perfect on a human? Literally never, what’s so bad about-“

“I can’t have this conversation with you before 10am, Tina,” He narrowed his eyes at her and started collecting his shit.

Tina began to cackle and Gavin felt his skin flare up, knowing the asshole just found that even more amusing, “So you will have this conversation with me?”

“That’s definitely not what I meant. And his name is Nines, Tina, you phcking perv.”

He stormed out with his coffee, and he knew the damn fucking android was following like an absolute creep. He decided to wait at least until he was sat at his desk to address Nines, knowing he was too riled up from Tina to talk to him.

He was kinda proud of himself for that, take him back to a month ago and Gavin would have let out all his rage on whatever poor unsuspecting dipshit tried to talk to him, but he was at least getting a little more tolerable.

Well he thought so at least.

“Detective Reed-“

Gavin sat in his chair and lounged back, frowning in what he hoped was a semi intimidating way, intimidating if only Gavin didn’t come up to his nose and didn’t already look defeated by the day. “Nines, unless you’re gonna tell me that I’m getting a fucking raise and my own office, think twice before speaking to me before I drink my coffee.”

Nines raised his eyebrows in a threatening manner, and Gavin was lying if he said he didn’t find that a little bit scary. The steely blue gaze really did nothing for the RK900 model in trying to make him look more friendly, and Gavin kinda wished he had brown eyes like his predecessor. Saying that, however, it would definitely take away from who Nines was and Gavin wasn’t exactly sure why that made him uncomfortable.

“Detective Reed, a file report just came in saying that two androids have been found stabbed to death in a car in west Detroit.” Seems like threatening the prick didn’t actually seem to work.

“Two androids? Why are we dealing with this case? Isn’t this type of shit reserved for Connor and Hank?” Gavin took a sip of the steaming coffee and regretted it as his tongue singed inside his mouth. The android above him’s lips slightly turned up and the shorter man knew he was laughing at him but he couldn’t be bothered to call him out. He was way too tired, and honestly, was actually interested in why on earth he would be on a case only involving androids.

Him and Nines dealt with human cases 24/7, never androids because Fowler knew how much Gavin would not put up with that shit. It was hard enough giving him an android partner, besides literally everyone in the precinct knew that was just Connor and Hank’s shit because Connor was ex-deviant hunter or something.

“Captain Fowler said, since we’re the only other android-human partners in the department, that we should also be on any cases involving androids as there are too many in recent months.”

That seemed pretty justified in his complete honesty.

But it wasn’t like he was actually going to make it an easy morning for the android.

“Well that’s not my problem, I didn’t ask for a tin can as my partner,” He drawled. Nines rolled his eyes in a way that was so human that Gavin felt a mass amount of uncomfortableness inside him.

“It’s not like it was a desire of mine to be put with you either, detective,” Nines sharply replied and the shorter man felt his face grow hot and his temper began to raise, but if he knew that underneath that, he was pretty impressed the fucker didn’t just let him walk all over him like he had been doing. It felt as though the robot was actually becoming more human and Gavin blamed Hank and his plastic puppy.

Connor had always been a little bit more in tune with people than the RK900 model, and Gavin wondered if he ever felt jealousy towards him for that. Though, from the steely gaze that had now been locked onto Gavin’s green eyes, he wasn’t sure Nines cared that he didn’t fit in. His defiance, however, reminded him more of Connor when they were outside the file safe and he went out about a fucking bromance or some shit.

Connor had always been an asshole.

But he hadn’t always been deviant, but this wasn’t really the same for Nines. This made the detective wonder if that was why the android had such difficulty adjusting to humans, because he hadn’t had the chance to learn for himself and he just had to simply exist as deviant instantly.

“Well, asshole, it seems neither of us have much of a fucking choice.”

Gavin stood up and stretched, and the RK model simply watched him in a look that could only really be described as disdain. He wondered how tired Nines was of his antics and found cold amusement from the fact that he was the only person that could occasionally get a rise out of the android and got pleasure out of doing it.

He was pretty tired of Nines himself, but he wouldn’t say he necessarily hated him as much as he hated every other fucking android out there. Except for Connor of course, but that didn’t really count.

He just didn’t really expect that his first ever partner would be someone like Nines. Some _thing_ like Nines, he meant of course.

Of course he did, even if the android looked like a human and talked like a human could even sometimes have banter like a human- he simply wasn’t.

Gavin grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and pushed past the android, knocking shoulders with him in an extremely immature fashion and heading towards the exit.

“Let’s go, tin can.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit more plot centric but you actually have a slight little bit of fluff so enjoy before i murder them off
> 
> joking
> 
> ...maybe
> 
> ;)

Gavin could feel the stupid fuckers little eyes on him.

He would much rather the damn prick talk than just keep glancing at him with his dumb face and LED spinning a bright amber. This had been carrying on for a few minutes, and the detective had been trying to pass it off as Nines filing a report in his head or just simply checking the detective wasn’t going to crash and kill them both or something.

That was a pretty intense thought, but to be honest it’s not like he liked Nines or himself all that much.

“Nines I have half the mind not to pull over and beat your ass, do I have something on my face?” The detective finally snapped and took a glance at the android who of course had remained in his natural facial expression.

“Detective, I have to inform you that your caffeine levels are abnormally high and your sleep diagnosis tells me you’re currently getting two thirds less than what is averagely needed for a male your age in order to function coherently,” Nines reported, staring at Gavin as if he liked telling him he was an unhealthy little bitch.

“Fuck off, you plastic dipshit. You’re not my mother and I’m well enough to drive,” The detective growled and looked back onto the road, gripping the steering wheel tighter with both hands. He could feel Nines raising his fucking eyebrow at him in a disbelieving fashion without needing to look.

Since when did the android care so much anyway? He only just started up with the health shit anyway and it was quite frankly freaking Gavin out. It made him feel like he was about to get slaughtered like a pig or something, the way the android was trying to make sure he was all well and good before he got chosen to be dinner.

That was a pretty whack thought if he was being honest, so maybe sleep was actually a good idea _and_ he was pretty sure Nines didn’t eat humans.

“Detective Reed, I don’t doubt your abilities under any circumstances, but all I ask if that you try to take care of yourself in order to not die in your early 50s,” Nines stated so factually that if Gavin wasn’t paying attention, he wouldn’t have noticed that fucking murder bot just gave him a _fucking compliment._

“Jokes on you, Nines, I plan to be dead by at the latest my mid 40s,” Gavin cackled and then flashed a wicked smile at the robot before continuing. “And you just complimented me, so I’m pretty sure you just brought my life expectancy down due to shock.”

Nines allowed himself to snort before his composure was back up, but it was too late as Gavin’s eyes had already lit up with smugness as he looked between the road and the passenger side.

“Did you just fucking laugh?”

“No.”

“Oh yeah, pardon me, did you just fucking _snort_?” Gavin cried out, and you’d have thought he’d won the lottery with the glee covering his every word. Nines had never seen the man so smug, and honestly, it was so annoying. But it was endearing at least.

Nines let himself smile, and not dwell too much on the fact he found the detective’s behaviour endearing when the man was such a struggle to be around. However, it was hard not to admit that the two were clearly bonding and if it was at his expense, Nines found he didn’t really care that much as this was the most relaxed the detective had ever been around him.

This was actually the most relaxed Nines had _ever_ seen him, though he supposed he had no idea what he was like when he was at home or whatever he did out of hours, but the detective was nearly always at the precinct and when he wasn’t, most of the time it was almost too late to go out. Nines assumed the detective rarely did much besides be at home or the department.

Connor and Hank were often at home, and the two were happy being so, whereas Nines wasn’t sure the detective was happy doing anything.

Was Nines happy?

Nines thought it wasn’t really the time to be having an emotion crisis as a view of electronic police tape came into view with a medical examiner van and a single police car. Of course there were a few reporters, which was standard for this type of scene. Nines was guessing they didn’t know it was an android murder or they would surely be more considering how interested the ‘vultures’ (in Gavin’s words) were in android related crimes.

They exited the car and Nines was sure Gavin thought he looked badass with his badge and gun clearly on show in a way that had to be on purpose because what kind of an idiot just had their shit on show for people to see? Maybe Gavin was one of those idiots, but then Nines knew Gavin’s life was his job.

So yes, it was on purpose and that made him so much more insufferable.

He went straight up to a more local officer and shook his hand, in a way that didn’t really seem like Gavin. He didn’t seem the type of man to shake hands, so Nines had to refrain from raising an eyebrow and decided to follow his lead and also shake the woman’s hand.

“Detective Gavin Reed, and this is my-“ He hesitated a little too long and Nines felt himself cringe which was totally new. He didn’t even know he could feel awkwardness, he knew Connor certainly didn’t from the way he behaved. Then he supposed he was newer model, so maybe he had more emotions? He wasn’t sure if that’s how it worked, considering he wasn’t really supposed to have emotions anyway. At least that’s what Cyberlife thought.

“His android, RK900,” Nines smiled sharply, and Gavin frowned, disapproval evident on his face but not enough to correct him.

“My android. Right.” Nines sent him a questioning glance at his muttering but Gavin quickly pushed past him to follow the officer closer to the scene.

“My names Officer Cody Read, I was the first one on the scene just doing patrols y’know, the usual,” The tall woman explained, leading the way to the car.

The window was smashed, and inside laid the bodies of the two androids and Nines tried not to let his face fall. He could deal with it, after all this was literally what he was designed to do. However, seeing all that blue blood on bodies that he felt could have been his own made him feel hot, sure that if he could feel nauseous then he would be.

Gavin showed signs of discomfort, but both males remained like stone as they stared and reconstructed the scene in their own ways.

“The bodies haven’t really been touched, but a bullet has been removed from the scene that was in the car and I was thinking maybe that was the way that the window was smashed,” Officer Read placed a hand on her hip and smiled carefully at the two detectives.

“But there were no shots reported? Seems unlikely,” Nines coldly concluded, and the female officer looked a little deflated and looked towards Gavin.

“Nines is right, also the whole window is smashed. You shoot a car window with a bullet, it’s gonna leave a small hole because of the pressure, the window was either smashed prior and the bullet was planted or-“ Gavin looked to be doubting himself, but Nines knew exactly where he was leading to.

“You think the bullet was used to break the window?” Nines finished, and Gavin nodded, brows still furrowed.

“But how-“

“An android has the strength to throw a bullet so hard it smashed the window, so maybe the original plan was to shoot the victims but it became enraged, so it decided to stab them. It’s not unlikely, stabbing is more personal than shooting.” Nines looked at Gavin after finishing talking and found himself wishing the man would admit they were a good team when they wanted to be. Sure, it wasn’t solid fact yet but a good theory and the android was impressed with how well Gavin could theorise events.

It fit with his reconstruction software, and he knew the detective wouldn’t really appreciate hearing himself compared to the machine, even if he was trying to compliment him.

“It’s fucked though, because if it was done by an android it means there are no finger prints. Any witnesses?”

“None, nobody in the nearest houses were home and if they were have not reported even hearing a smash of the car window so we could be potentially looking suspects here or maybe they’re not lying and it’s just a messed up android hit and run,” Officer Read reported and shrugged, and Gavin sighed.

Nines knew the detective hated androids as it was, but to be stuck with an android partner on an android case with no leads must fuel his fire and he almost let bad for him. It was definitely frustrating and all Nines felt like doing was going back to Hank and Connor’s and passing out on their couch.

Was this being tired?

He hadn’t realised the late nights could affect him but he found himself craving rest in a way he thought humans might. It was strange and uncomfortable, but he found some odd satisfaction in knowing he was less machine than he thought he was. It was hard being a stone cold being, but he found it so hard to try and fit in with the humans like his predecessor because he was so striking.

His eyes were so blue he knew it made people uneasy, and everything about his features were so sharp and it was useful in interrogation situations, but in a day to day situation he just wanted to blend. He couldn’t even talk to Connor and pretend to be normal because it was almost as if looking into a disorientated mirror and people noticed they looked so very similar.

Gavin had been pretty freaked out at first but he’d admitted that once he spent enough time (“Spent too long, tin can.”) they looked almost completely different to him, and the same went for most people at the DPD. It was hard to ignore the differences.

They continued to converse with the officer before Gavin decided they should question any people around the area that could be useful and Nines found himself agreeing, with wishes of home making his LED spin a dim yellow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope u enjoyed kids, please leave me feedback because i'm lonely  
> and also next chapter should be up sooner than this one was


End file.
